CHICAGO — An off-duty Chicago police officer was shot in the chest by three men who walked up to his parked car — but he was able to drive away, flag down a squad car and get to the hospital.
The 41-year-old is now alert and stable despite the gunshot wound, Chicago Police First Deputy Supt. Al Wysinger said.
It happened early Friday in Grand Crossing, police said.
About 12:40 a.m., the off-duty officer was sitting in his car in the 7400 block of South Langley when three men walked up.
Sensing something was wrong, he started to drive away, but one of the men started shooting into the car, hitting him in the chest, Wysinger said.
The officer was able to drive away from the men, and he flagged down a squad car nearby. Those officers got him to University of Chicago Hospitals, and he was later transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital, Wysinger said.
A crowd of officers filled the emergency room at Mount Sinai to check on his condition.
The wounded officer is an eight-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department and has received 22 departmental awards.
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